Tabloid Justice: Criminal Justice in an Age of Media Frenzy

This man (Richard Fox) is a genius. I can't comment enough on how much this book has changed my life. I am forever changed because of this book--for the better. I would buy this book not once, not twice, but over and over again simply for the satisfaction of owning something so worthwhile and fascinating. Highly recommended for your bookshelf and anyone else's. Tell a friend!

Like most Americans, you and I have already devoted countless hours absorbing the latest reports about high-profile legal cases. A short list reminds us of the time we have spent: O. J., JonBenet, Rodney King, Lorena Bobitt, Monica Lewinsky, and the British nanny Louise Woodward. In the 1990s, these and other judicial soap operas have become a mainstay of mainstream television, newspapers, and magazines. These "dramas" are the lifeblood of the newer cable and Internet "news" media. These cases have so worked their way into our collective consciousness that the mere mention of one can easily evoke (and provoke!) a long and far-ranging discussion. In their new book TABLOID JUSTICE: CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN AN AGE OF MEDIA FRENZY, Richard Fox and Robert Van Sickel have dissected how the increasingly entertainment-oriented news media have covered such high-profile legal cases. The authors show how growing familiarity with celebrity criminal cases has distorted our understanding of the U. S. legal system and undercut our confidence in law enforcement, attorneys, judges, and the jury system. TABLOID JUSTICE offers a concise introduction to this important subject. It is richly documented without being pedantic. It is a wonderful text for college-level courses in Law and Society or Mass Communications. Students will find its argument compelling. Faculty will appreciate its value as a catalyst for class discussions about the impact of the media on our legal system. Soon a new "trial of the century" will come our way. Fox and Van Sickel want all of us to be better prepared when it does.